day : 16/04/2015 11 results

Thanks to Nicole for the photo – this caught some eyes on the water off West Seattle’s western shores early this evening. Reminds us of the photo shoot last month involving a boat built for the Tunisian Navy. But according to our friends at Beach Drive Blog, who had a front-row seat this time, the helicopter clearly had a camera mount and the name on the yacht began with Endurance. BDB wondered if it might be one of these yachts. (Maybe the E720?)

@ Fauntleroy Community Association: All about the followups

April 16, 2015 9:27 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

Traffic trouble and green spaces top the toplines from this month’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting.

(WSB photo from March)
GREEN SPACES: The push to keep the surplus substations (including Brace Point, above) and some other city-owned properties as open, green spaces continues. From what’s now the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition, FCA’s Marty Westerman said he and SGSC’s Mary Fleck will be outside Fauntleroy’s The Original Bakery on Sunday morning at 10 am for at least an hour to gather petition signatures, urging the city not to sell off these pieces of public land.

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You can help! Get in on ‘Art for Food’ @ Youngstown, to benefit White Center Food Bank

April 16, 2015 8:30 pm

| Comments Off on You can help! Get in on ‘Art for Food’ @ Youngstown, to benefit White Center Food Bank

| How to help | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Just a little more than a week until “Art for Food” at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, benefiting White Center Food Bank, which also serves part of West Seattle. The event is 6-8 pm on Friday, April 24th, WCFB’s Kristina Dahl explains: “Not only does it benefit the food bank, but it’s a fun after- work event with live music from West Seattle jazz trio The Ellis Brothers, held in the wonderful Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, with art from many West Seattle artists (including Peggy Abby, who is co-hosting this event with us). There will be wine (21+) and cheese available also, but the event is open to all ages. We are still welcoming art donations, volunteers at the event, and of course hope that many people from our community will buy tickets and come join us in the fun.” Buy your ticket right here, right now.

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West Seattle scene: Mayor’s lunchtime visit to Senior Center

April 16, 2015 7:49 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Mayor Ed Murray was back in The Junction today, less than three weeks after his walking-tour/coffee-conversation stop. His stop at the Senior Center of West Seattle wasn’t an official speech/town-hall type visit, just an informal lunchtime conversation, though he took the microphone for a moment. Below, that’s center director Lyle Evans at left:

P.S. The Senior Center has a big series of classes coming up for people who might not think they are Senior Center-age yet … “Things to Know Now That You’re 50.” See the summary and sign up here.

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Admiral Way Safety Project, WSHS-vicinity 20 mph, more @ Admiral Neighborhood Association

April 16, 2015 4:22 pm

| 24 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Two SDOT projects were at the heart of this month’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, which filled the basement meeting room at The Sanctuary at Admiral with more than 25 people.

ADMIRAL WAY SAFETY PROJECT: This was the marquee presentation of the night, led by SDOT’s Emily Ehlers. A few hours earlier, we had published a preview with information and maps the city had sent – see that here. Much more information was contained in the slide deck that was presented during the meeting – you can scroll through it atop this story.

What was said, and asked:

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You can help! Miss Seattle, Taryn Smith, collecting kids’ books

April 16, 2015 2:52 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle books | West Seattle news

We’ve reported before on the achievements of Taryn Smith, the West Seattle High School senior who is the reigning Miss Seattle – and this Saturday (April 18th), you can help her with her next community-service endeavor: A book drive for local kids.

Taryn will be at Merryweather Books in The Junction (4537 California SW) collecting donated children’s book to give to the kids at Mary’s Place, which helps homeless women and children with shelter and other needs. Bring your book donations to Taryn at the shop between 9 am and 1 pm on Saturday.

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6 highlights for the rest of your West Seattle Thursday

April 16, 2015 12:33 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Six quick reminders for the rest of today/tonight, before it’s too late:

SW ROXBURY SAFETY PROJECT ‘OPEN HOUSE’: Questions about the changes planned for SW Roxbury? 3-4:30 pm, SDOT‘s at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)

DESIGN REVIEW FOR NEW EYE CLINIC: The 7520 35th SW project‘s 3rd review by the Southwest Design Review Board, 6:30 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle. (Oregon/California)

SMOKING BAN IN CITY PARKS? 6:30 pm public hearing before city Parks Board. (100 Dexter)

WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK: Also at the Senior Center – 6:30 pm potluck, 7 pm meeting; details here.

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm, Alki UCC, with a Homestead update. (6115 SW Hinds)

LIVE MUSIC: 6:30 pm, Greg Miller at Admiral Bird (California/Admiral); 7 pm, Dawes in-store at Easy Street Records. (California/Alaska)

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FOLLOWUP: First vessel to arrive as part of Shell’s Arctic fleet, Aiviq, now docked at Terminal 5; Polar Pioneer/Blue Marlin approaching Strait of Juan de Fuca

April 16, 2015 11:21 am

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| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

11:21 AM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo, and to others for the tips: The first vessel in Shell‘s Arctic-drilling/support fleet has arrived in Seattle, and has docked at Terminal 5 (per MarineTraffic.com). It’s the Aiviq, mentioned here just last night in connection with the U.S. Coast Guard’s announcement of “safety zones” around the vessels expected here as part of Foss’s T-5 lease. The Aiviq is a three-year-old icebreaker that was among the Shell-related vessels that spent time here in 2012 before the company’s most-recent Arctic drilling attempts.

ADDED 11:52 AM: And for the first time in the weeks we’ve been watching for it, the Blue Marlin, carrying the drilling platform Polar Pioneer, is in MarineTraffic.com range, approaching the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the northwesternmost tip of Washington state, on schedule with its announced arrival in Port Angeles by tomorrow.

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Letter lists 4 potential names for new school on Genesee Hill – and a potential new plan

April 16, 2015 9:40 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| Genesee Hill | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Image captured this morning from construction-site webcam)
Remember the call for suggestions about what to call the new school being built on Genesee Hil, for the program currently housed (and overflowing) at Schmitz Park Elementary? A letter has just gone out listing four finalists, and launching a vote. The finalists are:

*Genesee Hill Elementary School: Genesee Hill is the name of the original building, which opened in 1949.

*Genesee-Schmitz Elementary School: Genesee-Schmitz recognizes the shared identity and history of the neighborhood and the two schools.

*Dietrich Schmitz Elementary School: Dietrich Schmitz was the longest-serving member of the Seattle School Board in history, serving 32 years and multiple times as President.

*Thelma DeWitty Elementary School: Thelma DeWitty was the first African-American teacher in Seattle, working first in West Seattle at the Cooper School.

The four potential names are not the only points of interest in the letter from Schmitz Park principal Gerrit Kischner. It’s been pointed out that the new school, with capacity around 650, might be not be big enough to hold SPE’s continuing-to-swell population, and Kischner’s letter includes this mention of one way that might be addressed:

… Please note that while we would like to move forward to finalize the naming of the new building, we are also continuing to watch enrollment numbers that could affect the long-term plans for both our current and future school sites.

The Building Leadership Team made a point of requesting that we ensure that the Schmitz Family legacy, which has inspired Schmitz Park Elementary School to be a flagship elementary program in the Seattle School District, will continue to be recognized and honored. If enrollment trends continue to the point that our program could be needed to operate at both sites, we will recommend to the Superintendent that the new building be opened as Schmitz Park School at Genesee Hill.

Regardless, we will not change the name of the school building we currently occupy, which is officially named by the School Board as “Schmitz Park School.” This is a promise made by the District to the Schmitz Family, who donated the land for the Schmitz Park Preserve and school site. Important Schmitz Park traditions and our fox mascot and logo will continue at the new building. …

We’re following up with the district regarding the “both sites” possibility; meantime, you can read the entire letter here.

Now, back to the name poll: Make your choice online here; if you’d like to vote another way, the letter mentions you can postal-mail or drop off your choice to/at SPES (5000 SW Spokane, Seattle 98116). Deadline is April 26th – one week from this Sunday.

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From Our Lady of Guadalupe to ‘American Ninja Warrior’: James McGrath’s pep talk for OLG students, pre-Jog-A-Thon

April 16, 2015 8:41 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Never give up – always do your best. That was the message Our Lady of Guadalupe students heard on Wednesday from an OLG alum who’s made it into the spotlight, James McGrath, who’s been a featured competitor for the past few seasons of the TV show “American Ninja Warrior” – here’s a clip of him in action last year:

McGrath was the special guest at an assembly looking ahead to the annual OLG Jog-A-Thon.

McGrath attended OLG through 8th grade, back in 2001. His PE teacher Susan Sutton is still at the school, so we caught a pic of both of them:

Also noted: McGrath worked for a while at Full Tilt Ice Cream in White Center; now, in addition to his TV exploits, he works as a personal trainer. Students had lots of questions for him about “American Ninja Warrior,” which airs on the Esquire Network, and he says you’ll see him again on the show in late May. (Thanks to Jog-A-Thon chair Sarah Housknecht for the tip about his appearance!)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday updates; ferry trouble; our weekly look back

April 16, 2015 7:14 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Nothing of note on the roads so far but we do have a major problem on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry run. Most recent update from WSF:

The Issaquah is out of service for necessary repairs. The 7:05am sailing from Fauntleroy to Vashon and Southworth is cancelled. The following sailings may also be affected until repairs can be made: 7:30am Vashon to Southworth, 7:55am Southworth to Vashon and Fauntleroy.

Please check the online schedule to view sailing times. Updates will occur as information becomes available.

8:01 AM: Aside from the ferry trouble, no incidents. So it’s on with our Throwback Thursday Traffic photo of the week, from the Seattle Municipal Archives. You’ll probably recognize this spot in what’s now The Triangle:

The date: November 1957. The intersection: Fauntleroy/37th. Click the image to go to the Muni Archives page with a larger version of the photo, so you can take a closer look.

8:42 AM: Ferry update – M/V Issaquah is still out and runs are still being canceled – keep watch on the WSF website for the latest.

9:26 AM: WSF says the Issaquah is fixed and is returning to service with “a late 9:20 am departure from Southworth to Vashon and Fauntleroy.”

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